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Counseling (Graduate)

The program leads to a master’s of science in education degree with preparation for K-12 school or clinical mental health counseling certification/licensure.

Students with a clinical mental health degree will be able to work in a variety of settings, including mental health clinics, hospitals, residential facilities, correctional settings, or certain schools. Students with a school counseling degree will be able to counsel students in kindergarten through 12th grade. This program is scheduled to be accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Admission to the counseling program requirements include the following:

Undergraduate GPA of 2.75

Completed application form

Two letters of recommendation

A statement of career goals

An official transcript

$35 application fee

Careers

Students selecting school counseling will be prepared to counsel K-12 children in private, public, or parochial schools.

Students selecting clinical mental health counseling will be prepared to enter into an agency setting working with children, adults, families and groups. They also may work in a career guidance or employment setting.

All students are prepared to take a state licensure or national certification exam in their preparation area.

For more information on careers in your major or help choosing a major, contact the NSU Career Center.

Internships

Students must complete a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship in either a clinical mental health setting or a school setting, depending on their specialization.

Students in this program will have the opportunity for a variety of graduate assistantships. Students will also have opportunities to work with people in their chosen field in practicum and internship.

Scholarships

The annual Janice Jirouch Counselor Education Scholarship is available for students in this program.

Dr. Ahmet Can joined Northern State University's faculty in Fall 2016. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychological counseling and guidance from Cukurova University in Adana, Turkey. He earned his master's degrees in school counseling/clinical mental health counseling from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, in 2012. He also received his Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from Ohio University in 2015.

Dr. Can has extensive international experience in diverse public schools as a high school counselor and elementary school counselor. In the last year of his doctoral studies, he also worked as a clinical counselor at Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) at Ohio University. After teaching at Roosevelt University in Chicago, he began work as an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling at NSU in August 2016.

Courses Taught

Introduction to School Counseling and School Environment

School Counseling Program Development and Management

Children and Adolescents Counseling

Career Development and Educational Planning

Human Appraisal

Addiction Counseling

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

Counseling Theory and Techniques

Career and Life Planning

Practicum: School Counseling

Internship: School Counseling

Research interests

Dr. Can's major research and scholarship areas of interest include counselor education and supervision, school counseling, cross-cultural counseling, international college students and psychological well-being. He has published and presented on his research interests in peer-reviewed regional, national and international publications and conferences.

Dr. Karyl Meister joined NSU's faculty in fall 2014. She received a Ph.D. in counseling education from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark., in 2012; M.S. in community counseling from South Dakota State University West River Graduate Center, Rapid City, S.D., in 2007; and B.S. in psychology from Black Hills State University, Spearfish, S.D., in 2004. At NSU, she is co-advisor of the LGBTQ & A Club.

Courses Taught

Multicultural counseling

Assessment in counseling

Crisis, disaster and wellness intervention

Diagnosis/psychopathology

Group counseling

Practicum internship

Research Interests

Transgender issues

LGBT issues

Religious issues for those who are LGBT

Lesbians and Amazons

Alternative sexual and affectional orientations

Select Research Projects

I am currently working on a theoretical piece comparing Amazon warrior women to modern-day lesbians. I am also updating my doctoral dissertation, which is an instrument designed to help people who identify as transgender decide where they fall within the eight theoretical categories proposed by myself. This will help them determine if surgery is the correct path for them to take or not.

Professional Organizations

American Counseling Association

Association of Counselor Educators and Supervision

Association for LGBT Issues in Counseling

South Dakota Counseling Association, North Central Chapter

Personal Interests

Spending time with my wife and daughter

Reading, computer games, kayaking

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